Automatic gate



(No Model.)

M. O. MASON. AUTOMATIC GATE.

No. 597,995. Patented Jan. 25,1898

lnventol W2C 77105071 Atcol nay UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MANUEL C. MASON, OF FLEEGER, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,995, dated January 25, 1898. I Application filed April 2'7, 1897. Serial No. 634,114. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it know-n that I, MANUEL O. MASON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fleeger, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make. and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side view of gate as applied, raised positicn shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 illustrates postD in detail. Fig. 3 illustrates the weightbox in detail. Fig. 4 shows castings E, F, and G in detail. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of post A, its arms K, and bars L. Fig. 6 shows in detail the manner of seating post A in sill.

This invention is designed to provide an improved farm-gate of that class which may be opened and closed without dismounting from the horse or vehicle; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described,and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates an upright post which is extended to aconsiderable height above the gate proper, (designated by the letter B.) This post may be set into the ground or supported in any other suitable manner. I prefer, however, to provide a sill G, which extends underneath the gate and is provided with a casting 0', into which the lower end of the post is screwed. Such casting serves to prevent water from collecting around the base of the post. Just above the casting the post has a forward offset or bend, such as indicated at A, and the purpose of which will be presently described.

into a casting, such as indicated at D, and which is secured to the sill O.

The gate B is composed of a series of parallel longitudinal bars h, which are connected by means of a number of vertical bars I), to which they are pivotally or loosely secured to permit a parallel folding act-ion of the gate. The lower longitudinal bar is extended beyond the rear ends of the intermediate bars and is provided with acasting E, having a lug e, which fits and is pivoted between the lugs f of a casting F, secured to the sill O. G is a cap which is placed over the casting E and which is fastened to it by means of the pin or pivot g, which connects the two castings E and F. The upper longitudinal bar of the gate is also extended rearwardly and to a point in rear of the pivot g and within a short distance of the post A, and secured to this extension by a set-screw his a hollow weightbox H, in which a sufficient number of small weights may be placed to balance the gate to the desired extent. The opening in said box is closed by a plate H, which is secured by screws or otherwise after the weights have been adjusted. Secured to said box is a slotted arm or loop I, which loosely embraces the post A and is designed to slide thereon.

K K are arms which are secured to the upper end portion of the post A, from which they extend laterally and forwardly in opposite directions.

L L are bars which are loosely suspended from the outer ends of the respective arms K K, and M M are pull-cords or their equivalents, which are connected to and depend from the outer ends of the respective bars LL.

N N are cords or their equivalents or other suitable connecting devices, which extend from the inner ends of the respective bars L L to the upper rear portion of the gate, to which they are connected at P.

The operation of the gate is as follows: A downward pull upon either one of the pullcords or their equivalents M M causes the front end portion of the gate to be lifted or raised sufficiently on the pivot g as a center to clear the short post D. The gate is lifted and folded back against the post A, as shown in Fig. 1, the slotted arm or loop I sliding downward upon the said post. When the gate comes to its full opened position, as

shown in said figure, the said arm or loop I becomes engaged with the forwardly offset or bent portion at A, which causes the gate to be thrown and held sufficiently back of its center of gravity to prevent its accidental closure. To close the gate, a slight pull upon either of the rods M raises it sufficiently to disengage the arm or loop Z fromv the bent portion A and permits the gate to return to its closed position. The forward extension of the upper gate-bar is preferably provided with a gasket or buffer R to protect it in closing, as it drops into the fork or seat d of the short post D.

If the box H is properly weighted, but very little power is required to operate the gate, as it will be readily seen that it may be very nearly balanced. At the same time sufficient force is required at the beginning of the operation to prevent its being opened by stock or accidentally.

The gate can be opened or closed from the approach at each side without the necessity for dismounting from the horse or vehicle.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a jointed vertically-folding gate having upper and lower rearward extensions, the said lowerextension being pivoted at a point in rear of the gate proper, of a weight-box carried by the upper extension to the rear of the pivotal point of the lower extension, a post, and a slotted arm or loop secured to said weight-box and loosely engaging the said post, together with operating devices, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a jointed vertically-folding gate having upper and lower rearward extensions, the said lower extension being pivoted at a point in rear of the gate proper, of a weight-box carried by the upper extension to the rear of the pivotal point of the said lower extension, a post having a forwardly-bent or offset portion near its base, and a slotted arm or loop carried by said upper extension and slidingly engaging the said post, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a vertically-swinging parallel folding gate having its lower bar extended and pivoted at a point in rear of the gate proper, and its upper bar also extended and provided with a weight, of a high upper bar and'slidingly engaging said post and operating in connection with said bent or offset portion and with the weight to hold the gate in its full-opened position, substantially as specified.

4;. The combination with the jointed vertically-folding gate having its lower bar extended and pivoted at a point in rear of the gate proper, and its upper bar also extended rearwardly and adjustably weighted, of the high post in rear of the point of the pivot of the said lower-bar extension and formed near its base with a forward bend or offset, a slotted arm or loop secured to the extension of the upper bar and loosely engaging said post,

the slotted short post into which the forward end of the gate closes, and means for operating the gate, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with the sill, the short hollow slotted post secured to one end portion thereof,'the high post secured to the opposite end portion thereof, and the pivotcasting secured thereto a short distance in front of the high post, of the jointed vertically-folding gate having an extension at its lower portion which is pivotally connected with the said casting, and upper weighted extension, a slotted arm or loop secured to the last-named extension and loosely engaging said high post, and the pull-rods and operating connections suspended from arms of the said high post, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a post having a bent or offset portion near its base, of a folding gate provided with a lower rearward extension which is pivoted at a point a short distance in front of said post and with an upper rearward extension provided with a weight and with a slotted arm or loop which slidingly engages the said post, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of witnesses.

MANUEL C. MASON.

WVitnesses:

L. P. WALKER, SAMUEL BEIGHLEY, PERRY O. I'IORKLESS. 

